


Everything's a Mess

by PhageChildon



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 22:56:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4076938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhageChildon/pseuds/PhageChildon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They didn't know how much of a mess everything was, but they did know they desperately needed each other.<br/>Punk AU mixed with another AU I can't mention until you read.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything's a Mess

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired/based off the song Dream by Imagine Dragons.

Seven years, one day, and three hours ago--  
that’s when my whole world fell apart.  
I was only in elementary school when my friend didn't show up to my birthday party, and my father couldn't get a hold of them.  
“They must’ve been held up by something,” my father tried to reassure me, but hours turned into days, and there were still no signs of my best friend. He wasn’t even at school, and the teacher seemed very apprehensive.  
I went to his house, but there was a “For Sale” sign on their lawn.  
And when I peeked inside, everything was gone.  
A large hole dug itself into my chest as hot, burning tears welled in my eyes.  
Hiccup… moved? Why didn’t he tell me he had to move? It… didn’t make any sense…  
He’ll call me - I know he’ll call and explain everything…

That’s what I told myself for the rest of the year.  
I emailed him, Skyped him, messaged him on our online video games, but I never got a response. My father didn’t get any either, and I was starting to wonder if something… worse happened to them.  
My teachers said they couldn't talk about it, and I remember… I remember throwing things at one of my teachers, sobbing until I couldn’t breath.  
They were the only ones that knew what happened to my poor Hiccup, my childhood friend, and they wouldn't tell me…  
People picked on me, telling me Hiccup hated me after all and didn’t want anything to do with me anymore.  
But that was a lie - I KNEW it was a lie.  
It… had to be a lie… because Hiccup wasn’t a lie…

Two years passed, and I fell into depression. It’s pretty sad when a thirteen year old falls into depression, but I did. My father was growing frustrated with me, started… punishing me in ways some would call abusive.  
But I didn’t care.  
I only cared about Hiccup…

Four years passed, and I became a recluse. I wore hoodies everywhere, I didn’t talk to anyone or anything. I was failing all my classes and all I wanted was to do was sleep.

The fifth year is when I met Pitch Black and the Nightmares. He offered me protection from my father, schoolmates, and even myself. I never wanted to be in a gang but… I just… needed to belong somewhere; I needed to feel that deep loving connection my father wasn’t giving me - the connection that Hiccup used to give me.  
It took me another year… but I finally joined.  
I knew Hiccup was never coming back. It had been six years, if he was going to come back, he would have by now. He was either dead or having a blast in another state or country for all I knew.  
And I didn't care anymore.  
If Hiccup didn’t care about me, I didn’t care about him.  
I got a tattoo - yes, a tattoo. It would help me get over my feelings for that boy who left me long ago, along with getting my ears pierced.  
I even started to work out, Pitch said it was a good idea if I wanted people to stop making fun of me.

At the end of the sixth year, I already had all the girls, even some boys, desperately trying to flirt with me.  
It felt… good to be seen again, to be loved and adored by people.  
Yet… it felt wrong.  
I had to pick on others, and after a while… I started to get used to it.  
I was known as the punk of the school who didn’t mess with you unless you really deserved it.  
That was my motto.  
But it still hurt…  
The words and violent attacks my father threw at me - for being that whiny depressed kid - hurt more than anyone could fathom. Not even Pitch, who would sometimes hold me like a father, could understand the depths of that pain.  
I can’t sleep, can’t eat…  
I live to become something for others,  
I’m not even living for myself.  
I’m a mess… everything’s a mess…  
Hiccup- you’re the one that did this to me…  
Why… why did I let you…?  
I’ve hurt people because of you-  
I’ve become a bully because of you-  
I’ve become part of a gang because of you-  
I’ve become a criminal because of you-  
I’ve become a smoker because of you…  
and more.  
So. Much.  
More.

The seventh year rolled by, and a new kid showed up. Normally I don’t really care about new students, but… there’s something different about this kid.  
Something I can’t quite explain.  
I let my gang do whatever they wanted to him. After all, that’s what I normally do.  
Yet… it feels wrong.  
I can’t bear to watch as they mug and beat him when he doesn’t even put up a fight.  
He started bringing extra lunches to school, and avoids my gaze at all times.  
He reminds me of--  
No - I can’t think of him. Whenever I do, I’m filled with pain and I just- I can’t breath or think - and I end up… hurting myself to forget.  
No, this kid’s just innocent. Maybe… I can get the guys to lay off him a bit…

  
I’m staring down at him.  
I don’t know how this happened - but I’m staring directly down at him, watching him avoid my gaze like always; he’s even doing that thing where he bites his bottom lip nervously.  
I… he really reminds me of- of him.  
He smells like him, he acts like him - he even does that little lip thing - he even has the tooth gap!  
But his eyes are violet, and his hair is black. He had no black haired family members in his family, just brown, red, and auburn. Not to mention the green eyes - Hiccup had beautiful forest green eyes--  
“I… have to get to class,” he whispers before moving past me.  
I watch him go, trying to sort through the puzzle in my head, but it hurts - it hurts far too much.  
Sighing, I slip a cigarette out.  
I… need to stop thinking about him…

We were running - we were all running as fast as we could, gaining the attention of so many people, but it didn’t matter.  
Camicazi came to us with news that the new kid had been taken by someone from the Outcasts, which was a band of adult gang members who kidnapped children. I had no idea what they did, but I knew it was bad.  
I couldn’t let anything bad happen to the new kid - Arnold was apparently his name.  
Even if he isn’t Hiccup, I still want to protect him, though I don’t know why.  
When we arrived in the alley, we saw a man dragging Arnold’s unconscious form up to a warehouse hidden in an alley. When the Outcast realized we were there, he turned with a hiss of annoyance.  
“This is our turf, get the hell off,” he snapped, moving the body of Arnold around so he was slouched in his arms, a gun pointed to his head. “I’ll shoot him.”  
Despite the panic raging in my chest, I merely shoved my gloved hands into my pockets. “We’re not leaving until you give our friend back,” he said. “It’s one against ten. He doesn’t belong to you guys, he’s ours.”  
I couldn’t help it when my eyes darted to Arnold, who was slowly starting to stir in the man’s arms. Seeing this, the gang member smirked, pulling the half conscious boy to his feet.  
I could see it - fear. He was terrified and he had every right to be.  
“I’m not going to ask you again,” his captor said, pressing the gun harder against his temple.  
But the expression on Arnold, wasn’t what I expected to see. Instead of being fearful, he became full of determination.  
A few seconds later, his elbow went up, whacking the gun out of his hand before he dropped, grabbing it himself and aiming it at the man.  
I - was this a dream? I… couldn’t picture Arnold doing that, he didn’t seem to be the type of person who knew how to protect himself.  
“So they taught you self defense, that makes things more… interesting.”  
Wait… who were “they”? Arnold - there was no way he had been in a gang, he was far too calm, complacent and passive for that.  
If so… what was going on right now? Their voices got far too quiet for us to hear, but the man was starting to back away, almost in annoyance.  
Was Arnold really protecting himself? It was… so strange, and not what he expected.  
But suddenly Arnold buckled, and blood sprayed on the ground, following with a bang -  
and more blood.  
My eyes- they grew wide.  
Someone shot him?! And he shot that man?  
“Go!” I ordered, and everyone let out a cry, advancing. Half of us went to look for the other gang member while the other half, including myself, went over to help Arnold.  
One of my friends, Aster pulled the captor off him while Toothiana worked on his bleeding leg. I turned, going to help him when my eyes widened.  
One of his eyes was no longer violet. In fact, it was that beautiful forest green color I still dream of - the forest green I’ve craved to lose myself in again.  
This - this boy - he couldn’t - he couldn’t be -  
No - no that wouldn’t - wouldn’t make sense-! He’s been gone-  
missing-  
everything for seven years, one day, and three hours.  
I can hardly believe what’s happening, but he’s bleeding pretty badly - I can see the look Toothiana is giving Aster…  
I… I need to - I need to talk to him.  
I need to know why-!  
“You… wear colored contacts…?” I ask quietly, my voice pathetically quiet and shaky.  
He nodded faintly, his green colored eye a bit glazed over. “I… didn’t mean to hurt you.”  
That’s when I knew.  
That’s when I knew, without a doubt, that this was Hiccup, my small, little Hiccup from long ago.  
But why was his hair black - why was he wearing colored eye contacts?! And why - why didn’t he reach out to me when he first got back!?  
“You did nothing wrong… I’m sorry that I… turned you into this…” he sniffles, his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head, making my adrenaline pump even more.  
No - no no no - I just got him back - I couldn’t let him leave me, not - not without knowing why he left-!!  
Desperately I pull his head into my lap, trying to touch him, trying to keep him here with me.   
“I couldn’t- couldn’t tell you,” he whispered, voice getting fainter. “Everything… was a mess… is…” He coughed weakly, but I shook my head vigorously, moving his hair out of his face.  
“HIccup - Hiccup please - please stay with me,” I beg in complete and utter despair. “Don’t… don’t leave me again…”  
I wouldn’t be able to handle it, I know I wouldn’t.  
After all these years, with him finally back with me, I don’t know what I’d do if he just- left me, again. This time, for good.  
A siren sounds off in the distance, and I hold Hiccup's head closer to myself, pleading, begging with every fiber of my being for him to stay with me.  
I didn’t see the way my friends were staring at me, and if I did, I would’ve known how much of a wreck I really as.  
Snot and tears covered my face, blood getting on my clothes - but it’s not like I cared.  
Hiccup was looking up at me weakly, getting colder and colder.  
I can’t think of anything else to do so I strip - I quickly take both my vest and shirt off and lay them against him, not wanting to move him too much.  
“You’re going to be okay-”  
Police file into the alley way, securing the perimeter, but I don’t notice.  
They try to get me to leave, but all I feel is tugging…  
I don’t even hear them…

This is a dream… I want this to be a dream…  
Please, let it be a dream…

\-- Hiccup’s POV --

I see him, the one I trust with my life,  
but I'm scared. I'm scared of him--  
I'm scared of myself.  
I did something terrible, something a friend, especially a close friend should never do.  
I left him.  
I left him without saying a word; I left him without an explanation.  
One day, I was there, laughing at his side – touches lingering...  
But the next,  
I was gone.  
I'm not really sure how he reacted, but I have a pretty good idea. And trust me, I'd rather not confront him after such an emotional breakdown.  
He probably didn't trust anyone for years, he probably still doesn't trust anyone.  
I know I don't, and I wasn't even the one betrayed...

It's been seven years – seven, agonizing years since I left Burgess for Berk.  
It wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to move. Life just... happens, as cruel as that is.  
But I don't think Jack will understand, not after what I did to him. Not even my explanation will be able to help despite it being the truth.  
How do I know? Well... the fingers wrapped around my striped purple and black shirt belongs to one of his friends, and he doesn’t even watch as he leans against a bunch of lockers, smoking a cigarette.  
I knew he'd be different, but... not this different. His hair is partially dyed, the back remaining true to his natural chocolate brown hair while the front is dyed frost white. Further down a dark blue choker necklace hugs his neck and brushes his light blue jean vest. It has rips on the short sleeves and bottom edge as it covers a long sleeve black shirt that hides a hint of a tattoo on his left shoulder and the small but visible muscles on his arms.  
Out of all the changes to his appearance, the one that hurts me the most… is the tattoo. When we were little, we planned on going down together on my eighteenth birthday and getting one that represented each other. I would get a snowflake, as Jack loved winter, and he would get a dragon as it was my favorite mythical creature.  
But when the vest moved out of the way, I could see the tattoo wasn’t a dragon… it was a snowflake.  
Why would he get a snowflake though, if it reminded him of himself? Was it to keep a piece of his own sanity? Or was it to mock our old promise?  
Thinking about it made snakes slither through my bloodstream, wrapping me in more guilt than I thought humanly possible.  
He’s changed so much… become someone he’s hated - a popular teen known for being the punk of the school who smokes and bullies others.  
Is this my doing...? Jack never condoned bullying, he hated bullies with a deep, burning passion. Yet here he was, being the leader of a group of punks.  
Maybe I should let myself get caught… All it would take is for me to remove my violet contacts and dye my hair back to it’s natural color. I always hated the raven black forced into my hair anyway--  
A fist lodged itself within my stomach, and a breathless gasp leaves my lips.  
I deserve this.  
Another blow smashes against my face, my left eye closing in agonizing pain.  
I made Jack into what he hated; I can't handle this reality... it's far too much for me to really accept.  
“I'm... sorry...” I whisper, making the abuser laugh as he lets me slide down the lockers like a rag doll.  
“Tch- yeah you better be,” he snaps, leaning down and grabbing the money out of my closed fist. “Looks like this one learned his lesson! - And here I thought the new kid would be a good recruit.”  
That was it.  
That's how long it lasted. Jack didn't even so much as look at me as the others started to leave, leaving me bruised and numb all over.

I... created a monster.

Two whole weeks pass, but no progress is made. Whenever I try to approach Jack, his friends just push me away, take my money, and beat me up. I know it’s a worthless cause, but I want to explain to Jack why I left - why I was forced to leave if I didn’t want to lose my life.  
I wonder if he recognizes me. Sometimes I see him glance over, but I’m not sure if he’s looking at me, his friends, or something completely different.  
The pain goes on, though I don’t necessarily mind.

A whole month passes, and one day, I find myself standing in front of the punk himself, his eyes staring down at me like a uncaring puppy. He smells heavily of smoke, enough to make me almost gag - but I stay silent.  
This is it -- the perfect opportunity to tell him what happened -- to tell him who I am.  
But I don’t.  
There’s a sinking feeling within my chest, realizing that this isn’t one of my dreams, this is real life. And if I told him, he probably wouldn’t react in the way I daydreamed he would. In fact, I’d probably find a fist lodged into my body and screams tormenting my already scarred mind.  
I can’t handle that - I know I’d be torn apart. Just imagining that outcome makes me realize he might become more of a monster than he already is.  
It was unlikely. But, at the same time, I didn’t know him anymore.  
It’s… a really hard call to make.  
All of the sorrows that I’ve seen lead me to believe that everything’s a mess, a mess far too wretched to be cleaned.  
“I… have to get to class,” I whisper, moving around him.  
It’s okay… I’ll just dream of another world where I admit what happened, and he understands...

Three months go on, and the treatment continues.  
I haven’t eaten lunch at school this entire time, and to be honest, I’ve hardly even eaten at home either. That’s okay though. I’m used to it. This is my punishment...  
I walk down the halls, towards the lunch room like I normally do when a shadow looms over me from behind. Immediately I sigh and turn, holding my lunch out only to realize-  
this person is a complete stranger to me.  
In the small amount of time I have to get a good look at him, I realize this isn’t one of Jack’s friends that shoves my body against the locker.  
“So it’s true after all,” the deranged voice sneers as the larger teenager with dark, tied-back brown hair curls his fingers into the front of my shirt, bringing me close. “The new kid makes lunches for the Nightmares~”  
I try to struggle but he only tightens his grip on my shirt, making it impossible to escape even if I wanted to.  
This guy must be part of one of the opposing gangs that I’ve been hearing about. Yet there was something… familiar about him, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The other obviously felt the same way as his face cringed up every now and then, unable to put a name to his face.  
But that scar-!  
Oh I remember that face-  
I remember it too well.  
This is Dagur, a face -- a voice I will never forget. How did he get into the school - I have no idea. But we’re all in danger.  
Dagur seemed to make the connection as well, “Hiccup~ You’re that Hiccup~” he smirked darkly, shivers running up and down my spine.  
I knew that look.  
I knew it all too well.  
“My boss has been looking for you for quite some time now.”  
My eyes widen.  
His… boss? No- no no he couldn’t be talking about -  
“No no no please let me go- HELP-” a hand covers my mouth and I feel a blow against the back of my neck.  
As darkness starts to cloud my vision, I catch a glimpse of someone watching from the shadows, someone with wild blond hair and wide eyes before I fall into the depths of unconsciousness.

My father warned me… he told me not to come back, but I just… couldn’t live with the guilt anymore. I knew Jack wasn’t doing too well, I knew him better than anyone else - I had to come back. To be honest though, I really thought Alvin would’ve fled town by now. After all, all the cops were out looking for him, including my own father and uncle.  
Was he really stupid enough to stay in the town he’s wanted in? Or was he smart enough not to leave since I truly believed he was gone?  
I guess it doesn’t matter, I’m caught and am being dragged to the one person I left to get away from in the first place.  
I caused Jack all of that pain for nothing…  
How typical…

I don’t know how much time passed, but I start to hear something....  
“F… our turf…”  
“Belongs.... get….”  
What was that? People arguing? Maybe... maybe I could get away!  
Desperately I try to worm my way up, trying to be free from the darkness that was forced upon me.  
My eyes flutter, color and light appearing around me. We’re in some sort of alley - that much I know. And my body - it’s half lifted with metal pressed against my temple.  
My skin and blood turn cold.  
I’m not an idiot, I know the metal can’t be good, especially when there’s a heated argument going on.  
Gulping, I slowly move my eyes, not even daring to move my head only to lose my breath.  
Standing in front of a large group of people is a strong and confident looking Jack, hands thrust into his pockets as if he’s talking to another teacher about a bad grade. He doesn’t look worried at all - no, he’s the opposite of worried, he looks annoyed.  
This has to be a dream, right? If this is a dream, I can dream of something better, something happier.  
But Dagur knows I’m awake and he pulls me up more, forcing me to stand.  
“I’m not going to ask you again,” my captor snaps, pressing the gun harder against my temple, making me slowly find my nerve.  
I know Jack isn’t going to recognize me. I’ve been living in a dream, life isn’t what I want it to be, and it will never be. I know that now… but if I want to make Jack happy, I can start by protecting him from this man.  
I don’t want him to know just how big of a mess everything is.  
Taking a deep breath, I force my hand free with one swoop, using my elbow to knock the gun out of the man’s hand.  
I know how to fight back, I was taught when I lived in a dream.  
Dagur, completely caught off guard, loosened his grip enough to allow me to break free. And, out of instinct, I drop and grab the gun, turning it on man who had it aimed at me seconds before. Gasps sound off from behind me, but I ignore them, staring deep into the eyes of the man in front of me who’s shocked expression turns into an amused one - a deranged one.  
“So they taught you self defense, that makes things more… interesting,” a light flashes within his eyes, a light that makes my hands clam up and shake a bit.  
A knowing smirk crosses his face as he takes a step forward. “But they didn’t teach you to kill, did they?”  
Of course they didn’t, I don’t want to kill and they didn’t want me killing anyone either. After all, that’s how this whole mess unraveled in the first place, and Dagur knew that. Of course he did, he worked for Alvin.  
He takes another step forward, then another until my hands start to shake so violently I’m not even a threat anymore. Flashes of that night came back, of the pain in my left leg and the screams that could tear the wallpaper off. They definitely tore into my ears, carving themselves within my ear drums.  
“Or are you too scared to kill, hm~?” He smirked, placing a hand on the weapon in my hand, being so daring as to lean forward - our faces inches apart. “Can you still hear his screams as Alvin and I chopped him up into a salad~?”  
I wanted to close my eyes in dreadful horror. But I knew that, if I did, it would be over.  
I only had one shot at this, to be literal.  
Slowly, my shaky hands come to a still, the fear from my face slowly melts into a stoic expression. The transformation made my attacker hiss.  
“Care to try me?” I ask in a cold voice, clicking the gun to ready it. “I lost everything because of you, and I intend to exact revenge.”  
Not really, but if I can pull this bluff off, I can save myself and Jack, who was strangely quiet behind me, along with his gang.  
That’s when it happened, just like that night, when I tried to get away, a sharp pain erupted in left leg, making my eyes widen in both shock and pain. Dagur didn’t waste a beat as he punched me in the face before wrestling for the gun.  
Bang.  
The dreadful sound rang out, echoing off the walls of the alleyway, making it a lot louder than it should’ve been.  
Screams and cries break out, Jack’s gang springing into action as Dagur straddles me, fists mercilessly beating me to a bloody pulp.  
I could feel it, liquid pooling beneath my left leg in large quantities, and liquid dripping onto my clothes from above.  
I can’t see out of one of my eyes, the blows knocking one of my contacts out. I can’t even feel my face, it’s become so numb it’s almost terrifying.  
But then something strange happens. The weight against me is suddenly gone, leaving me hearing a sharp gasp, a few grunts before - silence.  
The entire alley has become silent, yet someone’s wrapping my leg up in some kind of fabric. I’m so horribly confused, especially when I see no one other than Jack suddenly lean over me, his eyes wide in dreadful confusion.  
“You… wear colored contacts…?” He asks quietly, vulnerability heavily present in his voice.  
I can only nod, my resolve finally failing. “I… didn’t mean to hurt you,” I sniffle, so afraid - not of dying - but of being rejected by Jack. I can tell he knows who I am, his eyes are shimmering with disbelieving tears, and for the first time in forever, he looks completely and utterly broken.  
“You did nothing wrong… I’m sorry that I… turned you into this…” I sniffle, eyes suddenly fluttering as they roll up into the back of my head. I feel my body slowly being elevated, my head in his lap and I want to cry, I want to crawl away because I don’t deserve his gentle touches, especially not now. “I couldn’t- couldn’t tell you,” I whisper, unconsciousness dragging me away. “Everything… was actually a mess… is…” I coughed then, his fingers gently moving hair out of my face.  
“HIccup - Hiccup please - please stay with me,” I hear him beg desperately. “Don’t… don’t leave me again…”  
I let out a whimper though.  
I don’t deserve Jack, the way he’s treating me. He should just leave me to die after what I did to him.  
“I… wanna dream -- of us… as if we were never forced apart,” I sniffle, my voice and world getting fainter. “Leave me… to dream…”

\-- Jack’s POV --

Questioning was… painful.  
All I wanted was to be with Hiccup, but they just kept asking questions.  
After a while, I started to get vacant without meaning to, and they finally relented with a sigh. “Fine. Now I understand you were one of Hiccup’s childhood friends, do you know what happened to him?”  
That got my attention though as I turned to them with a glower. “No one would tell me, not the police station, not my teachers,” I spat.  
The two police officers nodded. “We told them not to say anything.”  
Wait - what?  
“Why would you -” Anger was boiling within me, I’m not sure how long I can keep it contained.  
“He was in our Witness Protection Program, Jackson Overland.”  
I -  
Witness… Protection…? Was this some kind of-  
But… it… would make sense…  
“Go on,” I said.  
Seeing that I was genuinely wanting to know more, they continued. “That gang member your gang took down was one of the men who were involved. We believe he was the one that shot Hiccup the first time.”  
My heart pounded in my chest, my body felt like it was breaking down.  
“What…?” I let myself whisper.  
“On the way home from the bus stop, Hiccup saw the leader of the Outcasts forcefully taking one of his neighbors into the basement of an empty house. He thought he could help,, so he went to the window of the basement... and watched the two of them… torture the poor kid to death. He was too afraid to move, and Dagur, the one you captured, saw him and shot him. But Hiccup’s house was next door, giving him enough time to get to his own house. Unfortunately… Dagur followed the blood trail and broke in, murdering his mother when she tried to protect him. We got there in time to save him but…” one of them sighed, seeing my state - my broken state and knew I was at my limit.  
I literally could not process - handle - anything.  
My… poor Hiccup had been shot, had his mother killed, and forced into a protection program without my comfort… without my love and support…  
And here… all my accusations were against Hiccup for leaving me, for not caring about me anymore when in truth, it was me who lost so much faith in my friend that I let all this happen…

Now I know… the reasons why he kept me from seeing... that everything was just a mess.

“You may go to his father, he remembers you and wishes to thank you.”  
I nod numbly, stumbling to my shaking legs and follow them out.  
Hiccup had his own special room in an area filled with cops. No one was allowed up here unless they allowed it.  
It only made me feel even worse…  
Life really wasn’t what it seemed…  
After all this, after all his hatred towards Hiccup, I didn’t even stop to think that everything might be a huge mess…  
I just hope… Hiccup could forgive me for how I acted - for how I changed -  
for my thoughts…

When my eyes settled upon Stoick, my knees nearly buckled. Just like Hiccup, his appearance completely changed. For starters, he lost a lot of weight, and his hair - it was cut far above his shoulders. And his beard- it was gone - completely and utterly gone.  
Everything that screamed Stoick now screamed lumberjack - because that’s what he looked like.  
“Jack, I’m so glad you’re here,” he said as he got up and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. Normally I recoiled from hugs, but my arms wrapped around him as if the world was ending.  
“It’s good to see you Stoick,” I smile, tears gathering in my own eyes.  
“No son, it’s good to see you; you saved Hiccup, and for that, I’m forever indebted to you.” I shake my head yet again, but my eyes catch a glimpse of Hiccup,  
and he’s awake, staring right at me through the window.  
My heart suddenly beats a bit faster, realizing that -  
this is actually happening. I’m finally going to see Hiccup - my childhood friend-  
my first crush…  
Stoick must’ve noticed my apprehension as he gently pulled away, whispering for me to “go” before releasing me.  
I nod, swallowing nervously.  
The guards step out of the way, and if I wasn’t so tense, I would’ve realize they were letting me in when normally only immediate family is allowed.  
I don’t care about rules,  
I don’t care about anyone but Hiccup.  
When the door closed behind me, sealing me and Hiccup in the same room, we didn’t move.  
We didn’t even speak.  
Silence-  
that's all there was for a good while as we stared into each other’s eyes. We’ve been waiting to be reunited for over seven years, dreaming of the day but never thinking it would actually come to pass.  
What were we supposed to do? How were we supposed to react when all of the sorrows that we saw lead us to believe that everything was permanently gone?  
I snap out of my thoughts as I notice a trail of tears streaming down those perfectly tan and freckled cheeks, then realize my own were soaked to the brim.  
I knew what to do- I let my feet carry me forward, and pulled him into a unbreakable hug as we both uncontrollably sob.  
Seven years of emptiness-  
seven years of pure physical and emotional abuse.  
This is what it’s all come down to,  
a reunion where words can’t even find words.  
If this is a dream, please…


End file.
